1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adapter, and particularly to a disk-cartridge-type adapter having the same external shape as a disk cartridge such as a 3.5-inch FPD (floppy disk) cartridge. The adapter is used to handle an IC card or a semiconductor memory that stores various kinds of information such as electronic money information. The adapter is inserted into a disk cartridge drive such as a 3.5-inch FDD (floppy disk drive).
2. Description of the Related Art
Disk-cartridge-type adapters are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Examined Patent Publications No. 6-509194 and No. 7-86912.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one of the adapters disclosed in the publications. The adapter la has the same external shape as a 3.5-inch FPD cartridge and incorporates a semiconductor memory 2a for storing, for example, electronic money data, a magnetic head 3, an opening 4 for making the head 3 face a magnetic head of an FDD (not shown), and a battery 5a for supplying power to the memory 2a.
The memory 2a employs the same data format as that of FPDS. The adapter 1a is inserted into the FDD so that data is transferred between the memory 2a and a data processor such as a personal computer.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing another of the adapters disclosed in the publications. The adapter 1b has the same external shape as a 3.5-inch FPD cartridge and incorporates an IC card 2b for storing, for example, electronic money data, a microprocessor (MPU) 6, a magnetic head 3, an opening 4 for making the head 3 face a magnetic head of an FDD, and a battery (or a generator) 5b for supplying power to the IC card 2b and MPU 6.
The adapter 1b is inserted into the FDD so that data is transferred between the IC card 2b and a data processor such as a personal computer. The MPU 6 converts data transferred from the data processor into data to be written into the IC card 2b, and data transferred from the IC card 2b into data to be transferred to the data processor.
These adapters 1a and 1b have no means to control the power sources 5a and 5b. A user must turn on the power source before using the adapter and turn off the same after removing the adapter from the FDD. If the power source is left on, the battery will be exhausted. The adapters have functional parts for transferring data between the adapters and a data processor and must supply power to these functional parts. If the adapters are kept active for a long time, the batteries will be quickly exhausted. The adapter of FIG. 2 employs the generator 5b instead of a battery. The generator needs a large space, and if the generator is made compact, it will generate insufficient power.